Printing machine



19, 1952 G. w. HOPKINS 2,607,289

PRINTING MACHINE Filed Jan. 21, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet l FIE=E C 0/4 TEDSURFACE FIE-l IN VENTOR.

Aug. 19, 1952 c. w. HOPKINS PRINTING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan.21, 1949 INVENTOR.

Aug. 19, 1952 G. W. HoPKlNs PRINTING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan.21, 1949 INVENTOR.

Aug. 19, 1952 G. w. HOPKINS PRINTING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jan.21, 1949 INVENTOR.

F EE &

i atentecl Aug. 19, 1952 UNITED STATE oF lcE v Applicatioii'Januai-y 21,1949} semi-N6: 71, 943

This invention relates tothe metho'dand' ap paratus for'printing'fromtype .on apiece or strip of coated record materialin" such a-manner asto eliminate" the" use of the conventional ink ribbon.

It is well known that a marking stylus of-br a'ss; bronze, platinum orother'suitable material may be caused to produce a mark on suitablycoated paper when thestylus is rubbed against the surface of 'the'paper.The paper commonly utilized for this purpose is provided with a coatingcontaining a metalliferous substance of such a nature that whenthe'marking stylus is rubbed acrossthe coatedsurfaceof'the paper; a markor linewill" be produced on the surface of the paper'so as to indicatethe path followed by the stylus.

In' the printing mechanisms commonly used at the present time intypewriters; cash registers, adding machine's, etc., an ink ribbon isinterposed betweenthe type and 'the paper so as to cause anink'impression of "the type to be made onthe' paper when the type isforced thereagainst; Such ink ribbons'are a constant source of annoyanceand trouble and, as a result," considerable effort has been spent'inattempting to eliminate the ink ribbon altogether." Thus'far, however,no satisfactory solution to this problem'has been discovered. I

It was with thisproblem'inmind thatIdevised a method of rinting fromtypewithout the use of an ink ribbon by utilizing the 'brassstylus'and'coated paper method of recording mentioned" above. I have found that byplacing 'a pieceof' the coated paper over thety'pea'nd then rubbing" thecoated surface of the paper with 'the'plain, uncoated surface of a pieceof brass'orother suitable material, a very satisfactory impression may:be-obtainedh I'have also devised a machine for printing inaccordance-with this method, which machine will be described in'considerable detail hereinafter.

Accordingly, it is an object" of the present ventiori to provide amethod ofprihtingfr'oni' type on a piece of coated record material without the use of an ink ribbon. v

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for printingin accordance'with this method.

Another object 'of the inventicn'is toprovide'a" printing machine inwhich a strip of coated record material is'fed between a marking platen,8 Claims; (01. 10-1 93)- a 2 material so as :to provide; an "imprint ofthe type on theie'cord'material;

Anothermbject of-ithe inventionis to' provide a printing; machine in Ywhich a strip; of coated' record material is fed between ar'eciprocating platenand-one or more printing:type"which-are' adapted tobe pressed into'contact with the record 'material and platentogethef'witlr means for feedingL-the recOrd material: in the same direction as the': reciprocating platen; whereby the imprint made on therecord material-byxth'e type will be uhcovered-by the platen' 'at theend; of'the" printing operation.

Other objects of the inventio'n will become :ap-'- arent fromthe"followingadescription of onetype of mechanism for carrying outmyon'ovel. method of printing, which mechanism is shownin theac'compariyihgdrawlngsg'wherein'i Figure -1 is a plan view of thep'rintingmachinei Figure 2 is a -cro's's-sectiona1 elevation taken:through the machine" alongi'i the: line 21 4 in Figure-1.

Figure -3 is aleft side elevation ofithe:n'la'ch'ine: I

Figure 4' is a View" showing certain (seinemechanism illustrated" inFigiire' 3' in greaterdetail.

Figure 5 is a':rragmentaryperspective view-era coated record strip-l Intheaccompanyingifdrawing' 'hereis shown a machine for enabling printihto b acom pli'shed' in accordance with the method menticned earlierherein}- That'i's; a strip orcoatedrecc material is fed through I themach me-by means of suitable guidesprovidedtherefor. These g'iiides"hold the paper in sucha position thati the-co'at surface thereof liesadjacenttoa which ma be in the form of a bar, plate, et and which isc'onstructed of' amaterial hav-i propertyof "prodlicing a" mark on thesurf paper: from the iritajrkin'g {platen is a 'gr0 printing typ'e'vvhich re arrangeu rdr s surface of the mar mg platen so to enablf hetype-to be resiliently urged inw engagement tied together by cross-barsl9 and between which are mounted the main operating mechanisms of. themachine. The machine-is adapted to' be given cycles of operation, duringwhich a printing impression is made on the record materiahby means of ahand crank 23 which may be rotated through 360 so as to cause onecomplete cycle of operation of the printing mechanism and and of any ofthe various materials having the ability to produce a mark on thesurface of the coated record material which is used in the machine. Themarking platen 53 is secured in place on the carrier by means of screwsor other suitable fastening means, and the lower face of the platen 55may vbe formed with a slightly arcuate contour as shown in Figure 4, ifdesired, so as to effect substantially line contact between the paperand the printing type.

1 As'shown in Figures 1 and 2, the machine is provided with a pluralityof individually settable type carriers 5! which are supported forsubstantially horizontal sliding movement by means of cross-bars 52which pass through elongated slots 53 formed in the type carriers. Thetype carriers are held in a spaced apart relationship,

"asshbfwn in Figure l, by means of combplates thereby cause oneprintingimpression to bemade on the record material. It is to berealized, of course,.that if desired the machine could be arranged forcyclical operation by oscillating move-- ments of the hand crank ratherthan by the rotary movements thereof as contemplated in the presentmachine. H r

The hand crank 23' is secured to the righte' hand end of a main driveshaft 24 which is 'journalled between the side frames 2| and 22 andwhich has fastened thereto at-either end an eccentric 25 (Figures 3 and4) by means of which the various operating mechanisms of the machine ardriven. Each eccentric 25 is arranged to reciprocate an operating arm26, which arms are guided at their upper ends by studs 2'! mounted. inthe forwardly-extending arms of hell crank levers 28. The bell cranklevers are pivotally mounted onstuds 29 secured to the side frames 2iand 22 and each bell crank lever carries a'stud 33. Pivo-ted on thestuds 30 are a pair of links 3! which serve to operate the markingplaten. At their opposite ends the links 3! are pivoted on studs 32which are fastened to the upturned cars 33 of a bracket 34 (Figure 1)which is secured to the upper surface of a platen carrier 35 by means ofscrews 36.

As shown in Figures 1 and 4, the carrier 35 is supported forsubstantially horizontal sliding movement by a pair of upper bearingplates Ml, each of which is held in spaced relationship with respect toa supporting bracket 5| suitably secured to the side frames 2| and 22.The bearing plates are maintained in said spaced relation ship by meansof platen guide blocksdz and upn per and lower paper guides. 23 anddi'respectively, which are spaced apart. by means of intervening shimstrips .soas to form a paper chute. The bearing plates 43, guide blocks42,

brackets 4|. By means of this construction, the

platen carrier 35 is guided for substantially horizontal slidingmovement, the up and down move-; ment of the carrier being limited bythe upper bearing plates 40 and the upper paper guides 43 while endwisemcvementthereof is prevented by the guide blocks 42. It will be observedfrom V the foregoing descriptionthat the carrier 35 will be -moved firstrearwardly andthen returned in a forward direction to itsstartingposition each time the hand crank 23 is turned through 360. S ecuredtothe under side of the carrier 35 is a marking platen (Figure 4) which,as mentioned earlier herein ,maybe,plain, i. e. uncoated.

54 which are supported between the side frames 2| and 22. Each typecarrier is provided at its rear end; with a finger piece 55 by means ofwhich the operator may effect any desired setting of the individualcarriers, the various settings of each carrier being determined by aspring-urged detent lever 56 which is arranged to engage with a seriesof notches 51 provided in the lower edge of each of the carriers. At itsforward end, each carrier has mounted therein a plurality of slidable.type elements 58, the upper ends of which are inscribed with suitabletype characters for printing on a strip of coated record material 64.Each type element 58 is urged downwardly to its lower or inactiveposition either by gravity or by means of a suitable restoring spring,not shown herein, so as to normally maintain the printing type out ofengagem-ent with the record material and lplaten. For the purpose ofresiliently urging the selected type elements on each type carrierupwardly into contact with the underside of the record material so as tobring the upper, or coated, surface thereof into contact with themarking platen, there is provided a pressure bar 59 (Figures 2 and 4)which extends across the machine and passes through apertures 52provided therefor in the side frames 2! and 22. Each end of the bar 59is received within an elongated slot 63 provided in the arms 26, the barbeing normally urged into engagement with the upper ends of the slots bymeans of a relatively strong spring Ell stretched between each end ofthe bar 59 and a stud 6i fastened to the upper end of each of the arms25. The portion of the bar 59 underlying the type elements 53 ispreferably provided with a sleeve of rubber or other similar resilientmaterial so as totake care of any slight variation in the lengths of thevarious type elements 58. It will thus'be seen that when the crank 23 isrotated and the arms 26 thereby elevated, the bar 59 will be moved upagainst the lower ends of the type elements 58 thus forcing the typecharacters inscribed on the upper ends of the elements into contact withthe paper 64 so as to force the same against the marking platen; Theupper travel of the arms 25 is somewhatmore than is neces feeding thestrip of record material r-earwardly by a given amount at the outset ofeach print ing cycle, this means comprising a paper feed accuse pawl H-which, at its rear end, is pivoted onastud 66 secured to the -bellcrank-28 lying on the -.left

handside of the machine; The pawl 65-1S-I Q-I vided at its forward-endwith a tooth 6-1 (Figure 3) which is urged-into contact with aflratchetwheel 68 by meansof-a spring 69. a The ratchet wheel is secured totheleft-hand end of a shaft 10' journalled between the side=frameslof=themachine; Secured to theshaft Hi betweenthe;

sideframes, is a rubber feed roll I I against which the strip vof recordmaterial is heldisb-yapair of. pressure rolls T2.

frames-2| and 22, The arms JIL- ar urged ;to-.;.

ward the feed roll H-by-meansof a sprin 1:5,,

(see Figure 2) which is tensioned between tie-i rods'IB extendingbetween thearms. The stripof coated record material 64 is woundtcn r aspool which is rotatal'aly supportedioncagrod.

ll supportedbetween the vside framesc Referring to'Figure 3, it willbenoted-thatat'zthe.

outset of the upward-movement 0f-the. .)a,Im.25',

thebell crank 28 will be rocked counter-choke, wise and e the pawl 65movedmearwardw; so.-. as:

to advance the strip of recordzmaterial' through The coils- 12arerotatively'. mounted on the outerends of armsjflxwhichware. pivotedon a rod; 74- supported betweentheiside a distance equal tonne-toothspace ofatheiratchet Operation Themachine hereinabove described operatesas follows .to cause an, imprint of the printinggtype' to be recorded.on the strip of coated record material.

Aslthe hand, crank, direction, as viewed from the right hand side of themachine, the arms "26" aremovedupwardly I so, as to rock thebell cranks23"c0unterclockwise, as viewed, in Figures 3 and 4., The "platen;carrier andmarkingplaten are thereby caused to move rearwardlyI-and, thepaper feed pawlfii-is like-' wisernovedin arearward direction so, as tocause feeding movement of the record" strip-64f. Thetype elements I 58are then picked up by 7 themessure bar '59, and moved upwardly so as topress the coated surface of .the record material into contact, with therearwardly moving marking platen .585, Upon reaching I their top; deadcenter po'sitions,, the eccentrics 25 will have caused the arms f2fi,to,move upwardly a" suffi cient distance. to stretch the sprin g s' fi qattached to the pressure bar 59', in the manner shown'in Figure Land themarking platenilhwill have been moved-to its rearmost positionfwh'erethe forward" edge of the platen, lies ove r .the* type elements,as shown in crank, the arms 26 are moved downwardly sofas to cause themarking platen to rub' against the coated surface ofthe material i'n"--aforward I direction" and thepaper-feed-- pawl; will be movedidly-:toward' the front ofthe-machine so as to 23 is rotated m aclockwise Figure 4. Upon further -movement of -=the* hand" engage thenext-tooth of" the ratchet 'wheel B81 v preparatory to a paperfeedingioperation during the' next -printingcycle' Asfthe arms 26-- movedownwardly, the springs eu are perrnitted t'o con tract untilthepressure. bar- 5 9:;engag'eS1 with the upper endsof the slots 63 in thearms 2dr] Upon; further downward movement of the-pressure bar,:.

the type-elementswill be retracted by their in! dividualrestoringcsprings so asto move. the typeaway from the platen.

The resulting imprint made on the-record strip by the rubbing, actionof:the markingplatenwon the coated surface of the strip will be uncoveredbythe platen during'itsfinal forward movement in the cycle sothat theprinted resultzmay be; read-off'by theoperatorat theconclusion of thecycle. Referring toFigure 2, which shows-the parts in-their homepositions, it will be noted.

that thetypeelement 58-, located immediately:-

above the-pressurebar-59, liestothe rear of the platen when the partsare in their normal posi tions and, hence, the imprint efiectedbythistype element will likewise lie-to. the rear of the platenwhere it'may beviewed by the; operator after.-

printi-ng has beeneffected.

Any selected group of symbols may bepri-nted across the record strip byfirst setting thetype carriers 5! to the desired positions and thenoperating thehand crank-23--so as to cause. an

imprint of the selected-type to be made-onthe record material.

While-the form of mechanism shown and de scribed herein is well adaptedto fulfill theob-- jects of the present invention, it is to beunder- 1stood that it isnot intendedthat the invention shall be confined -to the"particular form orem bodiment herein disclosed sinceitis' capable ofembodiment in various forms, all comin-gwithi-ir the scope of the claimswhich follow.

I claim:

1. method of reproducing acharacter in scribedmn a piece oi type onarecord strip-i having -onone of itsiaces-aicoatihg of materialinherently capable ofbeing changed in appear--- ance onareas of saidface rubbed in" pressurizedcontact-withaplain=- unceated' surfacecomprising interposing the record-coated strip between the type and aplaten having aplain uncoated su-r face withthe coated side ot thestripadjacentsaid platen surface and the other 'side oi; said stripadjacentsaid type, pressing" the platen relatively-- against the record' stripand e the type;

and thenrubbingthe'platen'relatively-over the coated surface ofthe-record -str-ip so-as to cause a A characterreproduct-ioncorresponding to the type character tabernacle-visible onthe-coatedface of the-strip.

2; A-method of forming avisible character-i ona piece of record materialhaving on one-of its faces a coating of-material --inherently capable ofbeing changed inappearance on'areas of said I face rubbed in-pressurizedcontact with a plainuncoated' I surface, which comprises I disposing therecord m aterial-' with the *cQated side up",- pro'--- viding typebeneaththe record; ma-terial' anda=- platen having a plainuncoatedbottom surfaceabove the record material over the'type, causing relativemovement of the type toward the platen so as to causethecoated surfaceof-" the record I material to be pressed; up against said-"platensurface by the-type, and then rubbin'g the platen surface relativelyover the coated surface- 0f" the record materialso as to causea'character re production corresponding to the typeach'aracter I to bemade visible on the; record material; 1

coated surface o f -"the" 3; In -a;machi'ne for reproducingtype'cha'ract'ers one -record strip-having on" oneoF-its -faces a coatingofmaterial inherently capable'bf rubbed in pressurizedcontact with aplain surface, the combination of one or more type; a platen itselfhaving a plain uncoated surface; means for positioning selected type incooperative V spaced relation to said platen surface; means forpositioning such a coated strip between said platen surface and theselected type with the coated face of the strip directly adjacent saidplaten surface so as to be engageable therewith and with the other faceof said strip adjacent the selected type; and mechanism for effectingrelative movement of said platen and said selected type including acyclically operable operating member, yieldablemeans operable by saidmember during a period beginning after the commencement of acycle andending before the completion of a cycle for effecting relativeapproaching movement of saidplaten and said, selected type to cause thelatter to press the coated face of the strip resiliently into contactwith said platen surface, and means operable by said member duringsubstantially a complete cycle thereof for effecting relativereciprocatory movement of said platen and said selected type transverseto said approaching movement, whereby an area of the coated face of saidstrip corresponding to said selected type is rubbed in directly engagingpressurized contact with said platen surface, the last phase of saidreciprocatory' movement taking place after the ending of said period.

4. In a machine for reproducing type characters on a record strip havingon one of its faces a' coating of material inherently capable of beingchanged in appearance on areas of said face rubbed in pressurizedcontact with a plain surface, the combination of one or more type; aplaten itself having a plain uncoated surface; means for positioningselected type in cooperative spaced relation to said platen surface;meansfor positioningsuch a coated strip between said platen syrface andthe selected type with the coated face of the strip directly ad jacentsaid platen surface so as to be engageable therewith and with the otherface of said strip adjacent the selected type; mechanism for effect--'ingrelative movement of said platen and said selected type including acyclically operable operating member, means operable by said memberduring a period beginning after the commencement of a cycle and endingbefore the completion of a cycle for effecting relative approachingmovement of said platen and said selected type to cause the latter topress the coated face of the strip into contact with said platensurface, and means operable by said member during substantially acomplete cycle thereof for effecting relative reciprocatory movement ofsaid platen and said selected type transverse to said approachingmovement, whereby an area of the coatedface of said strip correspondingto said selected type is rubbed in directly engaging pressurized contactwith said platen surface, the last phase of said,

reciprocatory movement taking place after the ending ofsaid period; andmeans operable by said mechanism for feeding the record strip to presenta new portion of the coated face thereof for engagement with said platensurface during each cycleof operation of said mechanism.

face, the combination pf one orgmore typey a 1 platen itself having aplain uncoated surface; means for positioning selected type incooperative spaced relation to said platen surface; meansfor positioningsuch a coated strip between said platen surface and the selected typewith the coated face of the strip directly adjacent said platen surfaceso as to be engageable therewith and with the other face of said stripadjacent the selected type; mechanism for effecting relative movement ofsaid platen and said selected type, including a cyclically operableoperating member, means operable by said member during a periodbeginning after the commencement of a cycle and ending before thecompletion of a cycle for effecting relative approaching movement ofsaid platen and said selected type to cause the latter to press thecoated face of the strip resiliently into contact with said platensurface, and means operable by said member during substantially acomplete cycle thereof for effecting relative reciprocatory movement ofsaid platen and said selected type in a predetermined path transverse tosaid approaching movement, whereby an area of the coated face of saidstrip corresponding to said selected type is rubbed in directly engagingpressurized contact with said platen surface, the last phase of saidreciprocatory movement taking place after the ending of said period; andmeans operable by said mechanism for feeding the record strip along saidpredetermined path to present a new portion of the coated face of saidstrip for engagement Withsaid platen surface during each cycle ofoperation of said mechanism.

6. In a machine for reproducing type characters on a record strip havingon one of its faces a coating of material inherently capable of beingchanged in' appearance on areas of said face rubbed in pressurizedcontact with a plain surface, the combination of one or more type; aplaten itself having a plain uncoated surface;

means for positioning selected type in cooperative i spaced relation tosaid platen surface; means for positioning such a coated strip betweensaid platen surface and the selected type with the coated. face of thestrip directly adjacent said platen surface so as to be engageabletherewith and with the other face of said strip adjacent the selectedtype; and mechanism for effecting relative movement of said platen andsaid selected type including a cyclically operable operating member,means operable by said member during a period beginning afterthe'commencement of a cycle and ending beforethe completion of a cyclefor effecting relative approaching move ment of said platen and saidselected type to cause the latter to press the coated face of the stripinto contact with said platen surface, and means operable by said memberduring substan tially acomplete cycle thereof for effecting relativereciprocatory movement of said platen and said selected type transverseto said approaching movement, whereby an area of the coated face of saidstrip corresponding to said selected type is rubbed in directly engagingpressurized contact with said platen surface, the lastphase of saidreciprocatory movement taking place after the ending of said period.

7. A construction as set forth in claim 5'in eluding means mounting saidtype for approach:

ing movement toward said platen and means mounting to said approachingmovement.

said platen for movement transverse a coating of material inherentlycapable of being changed in appearance on areas of said face rubbed inpressurized contact with a plain surface, the combination of one or moretype; a platen itself having a plain uncoated surface; means forpositioning selected type in cooperative spaced relation to said platensurface; means for positioning such a coated strip between said platensurface and the selected type with the coated face of the strip directlyadjacent said platen surface so as to be engageable therewith and withthe other face of said strip adjacent the selected type; and mechanismfor effecting relative movement of said platen and said selected typeincluding a cyclically operable operating member, means operable by saidmember during a period beginning after the commencement of a cycle andending prior to the completion of a cycle for pressing the selected typeagainst the record strip and thereby press- 1 ing the coated face ofsaid strip against said platen, and means operable by said member beforethe beginning of said period, throughout said period, and after the endthereof for imparting a reciprocatory movement to the platen to cause itto rub against the part of the coated face of the record strip which ispressed by the type; and means operable by said member for effecting afeeding movement of the record strip in the direction of reciprocationof said platen and during a part of the cycle other than said period,whereby a reproduction of the selected type formed on the coated face ofsaid strip by the rubbing of the platen will be uncovered at the end ofa cycle.

GEORGE! W. HOPKINS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,031,630 Dick July 2, 19121,278,041 Sherwood Sept. 3, 1918 1,277,119 Quigley Aug. 27, 19181,801,592 Dugdale Apr. 21, 1931 1,838,584 Smith Dec. 29, 1931 2,209,520Hamrick July 30, 1940

